15 Jan 2026

Residents of Motlhabaneng have been assured that government has committed to construct Motlhabaneng road and others in the Bobirwa network as part of uplifting the livelihoods of the people while simultaneously opening the area as a trade corridor.

Ms Josephine Sasebola of Motlhabaneng runs short of superlatives to laud government for the decision to construct a 16km road from Lekkerpoet road to their village.

Ms Sasebola’s views represent those of the residents of Motlhabaneng. They are clad in gratitude, joy and disbelief in equal measure. The road, together with others in the Bobirwa road network that have been an eyesore and a headache to the users, will finally be put to bitumen standard and delivered in 20 months.

“Ha ke tsebe nka ntsha ntho mang ka e fa puso ye ya UDC. Wa tseba ntho e o e dihileng ka tsela ye e kholo… ha ke tsebe nka leboha bjwang,” painted in rather disbelief and joy Ms Sasebola expressed her loss of words at the decision to construct the road which has for the longest time been a heartache to users.

In a jovial mood toward a presaged end to their suffering, letting her gratitude and happiness spill over to others, Ms Sasebola said the people of Motlhabaneng and by extension Lentswelemoriti, had suffered greatly on the unforgiving gravel road.

“The road turned into a stream that washed away everything on its way and rendered driving on it a sheer challenge,” she said.

Ms Sasebola shared some terrible experiences that many people suffered on the road especially during the rains where some vehicles got stuck, forcing occupants to devise ways of survival.

Like Ms Sasebola, one Ms Mathodi Sekoba poured praise to the government for finally acceding to their calls for tarring their road.

“I do not  know how to thank the UDC government. This road has been nothing short of trouble and death trap,” she said, adding that vehicles using the road frequently hardly lasted long.

 Although jubilant, Mr Neo Madome withheld his gratitude, for now, calling on Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa to assure that funds for the construction of the road were available and that the road would be delivered in the 20 months as claimed.

“My problem is that we have had past ministers making such pronouncements and turning against them when we least expected,” said Mr. Madome.

However, minister Mohwasa committed that government would ensure the construction of the Motlhabaneng road and others in the Bobirwa network. 

He said the roads would not only connect Bobirwa to other parts of the country, but also to neighbouring countries of South Africa and Zimbabwe through Plaatjan-Mathathane road as well as Mabolwe-border post road respectively.

Minister Mohwasa said that while awaiting the construction of the road, the department of roads will frequently grade the gravel road to render it user-friendly.

Meanwhile, minister Mohwasa informed residents of Mathathane that upon discovering new information, in addition to the complaints they advanced to his team recently, government had decided to continue with the construction of Mathathane-Plaatjan road as initially planned.

The new information, he said, pointed out that less than P10 million, contrary to the initial P50 million of the P350 million from European Union meant to develop the SPEDU region, would be required to compensate farmers whose ploughing fields would be affected by the road construction. BOPA